Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1942)

44 MOTION PICTURE HERALD March 14, 1942 Exhibitors in Nebraska Move On ASCAP Members of the new Nebraska Music Users Association, an anti-ASCAP organization embracing theatres, hotels, ballrooms, and radio stations, are supporting Station WOW, the Omaha broadcasting link, which is asking for triple redress for money paid to ASCAP during the four years when Nebraska's anti-ASCAP law was being tested to final approval. WOW is already suing the Society for $298,319, triple damages, and, if successful, the other user legally tagging along, will also be in line to get back three times the amount paid under protest for their licenses during that time. Officers of the Music Users said about a half dozen theatre men had joined thus far, although there is some opposition in the film ranks to the idea of taking an aggressive stand at this time. ASCAP Policy Changes Concluding a two-day meeting at the Hamilton Hotel in Chicago on Wednesday, which was called by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, John G Payne, general counsel for the Society, indicated that ASCAP was changing its relations with music users which includes film theatres from a protective policy to a sales policy. Declaring that heretofore ASCAP had "hunted for infringements" and had used an "iron hand in collecting," Mr. Payne said, "In future, a velvet glove process will be used." In speaking of the Society's past methods of collecting license fees forcibly, he asserted that "some music users not familiar with the necessity for copyright law, thought it was a racket. In those days, our primary responsibility was to the composers, authors and publishers, rather than to the music lovers. "Now," he said, "we are looking for better ways in which to serve our licensees." Mr. Payne presided at the meeting which was called to instruct businessmen who have replaced lawyers as ASCAP representatives, and their field agents from 10 mid-west states, in new procedures of the Society. A proposal has been made that music users take up their problems with local ASCAP offices instead of with the New York headquarters in order to effect more effective and more rapid results. On Wednesday, discussion was held in connection with office procedure and problems arising from the consent decree. Some 33 district managers, field men and home office executives from motion picture cornpanes were present at the meetings. In addition to Mr. Pavne. ASCAP officials who attended included Herman Goldberg, assistant general manager : Robert Murray, public relations director, and Dr. S. Stevenson Smith, educational counselor. Joseph Boyle Promoted Joseph S. Boyle, formerly assistant manager at Loew's State, Syracuse, has been appointed manager of the Loew's-Poli Broadway Theatre, Norwich, Conn. The house is being completely remodelled and will re-open under Loew management February 20th with MGM's "Woman of the Year." Eddie Dowden of the Loew publicity staff is in Norwich, assisting Lou Brown in the opening campaign. Black with RKO Herman Black last week joined the sales staff of the Philadelphia RKO exchange. Screen Stars Appear At Navy Relief Show Screen, stage and radio stars, cooperating with leaders of New York's amusement world, were expected to draw 21,000 spectators to the huge benefit show held Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden for the Navy Relief Society. Eddie Cantor was credited with selling $25,000 worth of tickets, the gross sale of which was expected to exceed $155,000. Stars, musicians, technicians, stagehands and others who participated in the show donated their services. The gate's gross was estimated to reach around $35,000, it was expected. Tyrone Power, Randolph Scott, Lou Holtz, Henny Youngman, Eddie Cantor, Fred Allen, Bert Lytell and Jack Haley were to be masters of ceremonies. Lt. Com. Junius Spencer Morgan, headed the executive committee as chairman. Other members included : Maxwell A. Kriendler, arrangements ; Marvin Schenck, entertainment ; Abe Lastfogel, program, Howard Dietz, publicity ; and Eddie Cantor, Morton Downey, Frank Gillmore, Bert Lytell, Lawrence Tibbett and Louis Schaffer, secretary. Those scheduled to appear in the special sketches and musical numbers arranged for the show were : Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Ray Bolger, Myrna Loy, Loretta Young, Constance Bennett, Greer Garson, John Garfield, Janet Gaynor, Madeleine Carroll, Walter Pidgeon, Bette Davis, Jimmy Durante, Merle Oberon, Dick Powell, John Carradine, Tallulah Bankhead, James Barton, Diosa Costello, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, Al Jolson, Carmen Miranda, Bert Lahr, Ella Logan, Bill Robinson, Rosario and Antonio, Connie Boswell, the Ink Spots, Hazel Scott, Dinah Shore, Benay Venuta, Walter Winchell, Lucy Monroe, Joe E. Lewis, Ed Gardner, Billy De Wolf, the Hartmans, Paul Draper, Hal LeRoy and many others. Cuban Film Board President Elected Francisco Alvarez Coto, manager of Zenith Films in Havana, was last week chosen to head the Cuban Film Board of Trade. Other new officers are : Ignacio Blanco, manager of Vincente Blanco y Cia, vice-president ; Octavio Gomez Castro, manager of Continental Films, secretary ; Nestor Sanchez, manager of Tropical Films, treasurer ; Dr. Manuel Pellon, general counsel : Justo Suarez, manager of AFA, and Eladio Novo, manager of Ibero America Films, representatives. Tanner Resigns from WE and Bell System DeWitt C. Tanner has retired as consulting patent attorney for Western Electric and the American Telephone & Telegraph Company. He had been previously head of the former's patent department. Mr. Tanner's career was also marked by intensive interest in the motion picture patent field. He was for some years general patent counsel for Electrical Research Products, Inc. He joined' Western Electric in 1901. Martin Goldenberg Resigns Martin Goldenberg resigned this week as manager of Warner Bros. State Theatre in Philadelphia. He was with the circuit for 18 years. Mr. Goldenberg is succeeded by Ben Blumberg who was moved from the circuit's Lane Theatre in the same city. Mr. Goldenberg has joined the William Goldman independent circut as manager of its Bandbox Theatre in Philadelphia. Warners Sign Actress Geraldine Fitzgerald has been given a new contract by Warner Bros., it was reported in Hollywood this week. The deal excludes stage work, contrary to the previous contract which gave the actress the privilege of working on the stage for six months a year. 'Woman of Year9 Holdover Record No. 1 holdever of current releases was MGM's 'Woman of the Year," starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, which this week became the third picture to run six weeks at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. Only two other films enjoyed six-week runs at that theatre, "Rebecca" and "Philadelphia Story," the latter also starring Miss Hepburn. "Woman of the Year" has had three other holdover engagements this week: Orpheum, Madison, Wis.; Midland, Kansas City, and Fox, Spokane, playing 10 days, two weeks and 8 days respectively. Holdover reports from several distributors on other releases for the week are: "To Be or Not To Be," United Artists : second week at Rivoli, New York; second week at Chicago Theatre, Chicago. "Hellzapoppin," Universal: Poli, Bridgeport, opened February 26th; Savar, Camden, opened February 27th; Colonial, Erie, February 27th, and E. M. Loew, Hartford, February 27th. "Ride 'Em Cowboy," Universal : Boston Theatre, Boston, opened February 27th; Palace, Columbus, opened February 27th; Hillstreet, Los Angeles, March 3rd ; Pantages, Los Angeles, March 3rd; Garde, New London, March 4th; Criterion, New York, March 4th; Bijou, Springfield, Mass., March 3rd; and Rivoli, Toledo, March 6th. "Ball of Fire," RKO : held third week at Paramount Theatre, Portland, Ore.; second week, Warner's Roger Sherman, New Haven; second week, Warner's Strand, Hartford ; third week, Boyd, Philadelphia. "Citizen Kane," RKO : second week at Aldine, Philadelphia ; second week at Fulton, Pittsburgh ; held indefinitely at the Spegelin Theatre, Stockholm, Sweden, where it has been playing six weeks. "Suspicion," RKO: in its 11th week at the Century Theatre, Sydney, Australia. "Captains of the Clouds," Warner Bros. : fourth week at the Strand, New York. "Kings Row," Warners : eighth week, Astor, New York. "Tanya," Artkino: second week at the Stanley, New York. Report on Grosses "To Be or Not To Be," United Artists, at Rivoli, New York; reported to have topped all attendance records of any UA film to play that theatre, when it attracted 36,000 for the first 1 three days, and drew an estimated gross of ) $20,000. In the first four days of its fifth week, MGM's "Woman of the Year," at the Music Hall, New : York, grossed an estimated $53,000. "The Lady Has Plans," Paramount production at the Paramount Theatre, New York, drew an estimated $21,000 over last Saturday and Sunday and was expected to finish the week on Tuesday with $47,000. "Roxy Hart," 20th Century-Fox, brought an i estimated $23,000 for the first four days of its J third week at the Roxy, New York. At the': Strand, "Captains of the Clouds," Warner film, grossed an estimated $17,000 for the first four days of its 4th week. United Artists reported this week that Charlie Chaplin's "The Gold Rush," opening at the : Orpheum Theatre, Montreal, last Thursday, reached a gross figure equal to 140 per cent of that achieved by "The Great Dictator," at the j same house. Harman Feature Planned Hugh Harman Productions will make "King Arthur's Knights," a feature-length color cartoon. Release negotiations are now under way.